I have tried to install Puppy 4.3.1 to two different USB Flash drives without success. I've used both the Universal Installer and Bootflash, and I keep getting the same results. Universal ejects the disc at the end of the installation process, but neither of two computers will boot from the USB Flash. I can view the contents of the Flash drive, and there are Puppy-related files on it, but no booting.

The aforementioned problem, along with an inability to connect to my own wireless signal (posted elsewhere), is dragging me down, especially considering Puppy's super-speed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Do both computers support booting from USB? Are the boot priorities properly configured in the BIOS? In some BIOSs, there is an option to allow or disallow booting from USB; does yours have such an option?

In the System section of the menus run GParted and make sure the boot flag is set on your USB drive. You can do this before or after you install Puppy on the drive. (in GParted click on the partition, then Partition - Manage Flags.)

One computer can be set to boot from USB, but the other doesn't seem to have that option. Regardless, I can't get it to boot in either case. Also, I tried the GParted thing, and it still didn't work. Once I ejected the Puppy CD, and left the Flash drive mounted, when I re-booted, it went into Windows.

I am posting right now running LightHouse Pup running off of Live 2 gig Kingston Traveler USB on a Acer Aspire One. I formatted the USB as Fat 32 and Used my Ubuntu Linux Version of Unetbootin to make the bootable USB from Downloaded Puppy LightHouse ISO. Hope that helps you. Good Luck.

On the newer computer, the boot order is CD-ROM, USB, then Hard Drive, but it still opens up in Windows. When I open the older comp's BIOS, I can select the hard drive, then a sub-category opens up showing the USB. However, I can either select or de-select it with an exclamation point, but either way, it doesn't seem to make it an earlier choice than the hard drive, so no matter what configuration I try, I can't get the USB to boot.

rjbrewer:

What is the bootsplash screen? Is it what comes up when I press F2 right at the very first screen when Puppy starts loading? If so, I tried it just now, and it appeared to work, but when I ejected the disk and tried re-booting from the flash, Windows started up again.

rokytjni:

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're trying to say.

Jeffreytooker:

I read your other post, but I still have a hard drive to deal with. I did actually try this yesterday, saving the files to the flash, and it did save them, but not in such a way as to enable booting from the flash.

I read your other post, but I still have a hard drive to deal with. I did actually try this yesterday, saving the files to the flash, and it did save them, but not in such a way as to enable booting from the flash.

Marc Noel>>>

Marc:
The system will not boot from flash (USB stick). It will boot from disk, find USB stick and load from it.

Okay, I AM thick, but, if I have the CD in the CD drive, then why would I need the USB stick, since Puppy would load from the CD? Or do you mean that the computer will try to boot Puppy from the hard drive, not find it, then go looking for the USB? Currently, even if I have the USB stick in its port, when I re-boot, the comp just loads Windows. I can't figure out how to get the comp to check the USB first.

When you turn them on do they briefly show which key to push
for one time boot?_________________
Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

If this is a compaq v2000 laptop, you probably need to push
the f12 or f10 key when powering up the machine.
The usbflash has to be installed from cold start.
Rebooting (restarting) is not the same as having power off
and on.
Trying to change boot order in bios probably won't work.

Did you say something about the boot flag in GParted not being present? If this is so, you should probably right click on the partition, ie FAT32 or NTFS, and delete it. Then click Apply. After that, right click on it again and New then choose FAT16 or FAT32. It'll say error @ first but then try it again and it will say to create a mkdos or something. After that, you can create it and check the tick box for boot.

Okay, I AM thick, but, if I have the CD in the CD drive, then why would I need the USB stick, since Puppy would load from the CD? Or do you mean that the computer will try to boot Puppy from the hard drive, not find it, then go looking for the USB? Currently, even if I have the USB stick in its port, when I re-boot, the comp just loads Windows. I can't figure out how to get the comp to check the USB first.

Marc>>>

Marc:

Consider terminology first. The BOOT device is the device which the BIOS finds with the first valid set of BOOT (start) instructions. In our case with the Puppy 431 iso, the iso is the first set of valid boot instructions. The iso will load its required information into RAM. You will make the choices until you get to the 431 desktop. When you go to shut down, the 431 iso asks you where you want to store all if the information. This will be to itself or to a HDD or USB. In this case remember the USB is a replacement for the HDD and is a storage device not a BOOT device. When the iso disk is in the computer, the computer will always BOOT from the iso disk. It may store information to some other device besides itself, but it will BOOT from itself.

First if we are talking about two computers we have to establish one computer to start with. The one I am most familiar with is the computer which WILL NOT boot from a USB stick. This is because the BIOS does not allow booting from a USB stick. This most probably will be the oldest computer.

BIOS is the first program that starts when the computer powers up. It goes looking for something which will tell it (the BIOS) how to boot (start) the computer. To do this BIOS looks in its boot order instructions. The BIOS will boot the computer with the first set of valid instructions that it finds. In the case of Puppy the BIOS needs to find the Puppy 431 iso CD/DVD before it finds the HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

First get into BIOS as mentioned by RJBrewer above. With my old Compaq F10 gets me into BIOS. The next question is Language. English is highlighted (up down arrows for other languages). Press enter. This opens the main screen. The choices across the top are: Main, Storage, Security, and Advanced. Press right arrow until storage is highlighted. Press down arrow to boot order then press enter. The up down arrows should let you choose first boot device. F10 to accept changes. Left arrow to get back to main. Down arrow to save changes and exit, hit enter. This should get you out of BIOS. Shut down computer and reboot with the Puppy 431 iso in the CD/DVD. This should get you booted from the 431 iso. I have set my CD first. Having the CD/DVD in front of the HDD will get the computer to boot from the Puppy CD/DVD, and not find the HDD. If you have made a proper Puppy 431 iso (as directed by others) it should get your computer to boot from the Puppy disk and not go to Windows.

When you get booted from the disk, make the required choices until you are in the Puppy 431 desktop. To turn off the computer go >menu>shut down>power off.

The first time you shut down the computer with the 431 iso in it, the choices will ask you if you want to save to file (HDD) or save to CD/DVD.

Saving to file will be HDD or USB if there is a USB installed and no HDD. Once this instruction is given the Puppy 431 iso CD/DVD will always save this way. When this disk boots up again it will look for the HDD or USB so it can load the data from that device into the computer (RAM). This will bring you back to the Puppy 431 desktop.

Saving to CD/DVD will cause the CD/DVD to save back to itself. Once the CD/DVD does this it will always do this.

For now the easiest thing to do is get your computer to boot from the Puppy 431 iso and save back to CD/DVD. Later you can get to the more involved operations. Remember that this type of install boots from the iso disk, to RAM, performs the required computer operations and saves the instructions and data back to the Puppy 431 iso disk at system shut down.

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